


An American Rabbit in Japan

by LullabyeLaura



Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: Depression, Gen, Guilt, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-02
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-01-10 20:39:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1164294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LullabyeLaura/pseuds/LullabyeLaura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haruhi Fujioka and Bunny Lapin have been friends since middle school. The fact that they live in completely different places makes no difference: their friendship was founded through a Pen Pal program. Now they're teenagers in high school. To make things a little more interesting (as Kyoya would say), they decide to switch places for two weeks. But something goes wrong, and instead of Bunny being in the care of Haruhi's dad, she's suddenly thrown in with the Host Club!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

_Dear Haruhi,_   
  
_I know it's my turn to play Hostess to you this summer, and I always enjoy it each year; you're a wonderful house guest :)_   
  
_But this year, I have an idea for something a little different. For my foreign studies, I need to spend a few weeks abroad in the country whose language I'm studying, and so do you, if I remember correctly ;) So maybe instead of us just visiting each other like usual, we could switch places. I'll live in your house, you'll live in mine, my family and friends will become yours, and vice versa. I mean, we've both been to the other's country, but never lived there in the same lifestyle as a citizen there would. Being a guest is one thing, and actually living there is another. Just think how exciting it could be!_   
  
_Sorry, I'm getting a little over excited myself X)_   
  
_And sorry if I seem a little pushy, or overbearing :P I just really need to get out of this house, out of this country even, since the accident._   
  
_Either way, I can't wait to see you again! Tell your dad I said hi, and give him a hug for me :)_   
  
_Your friend,_   
  
_Bunny (:3_

 

* * *

  
_Dear Bunny,_   
  
_That sounds like an awesome idea! Yeah, I should go over to America, my foreign studies requires it, too. Not to mention, it would also look good on our college applications. Dad would love to have you over again—he loves the shopping trips, because you'll actually wear those girly clothes._   
  
_Not that there's anything wrong with that, I just don't like to. You know that._   
  
_As for the whole family and friends thing… I guess it's time for you to meet the Host Club. They'll probably try to kidnap you a few times from Dad, so you might wanna watch out for them._   
  
_Especially for Tamaki-senpai. Beware the puppy dog eyes, Bunny. They'll suck you into the deep abyss, and before you know it, you find yourself saying yes to whatever he wants. He seems like an idiot, but I think it's just a façade to lower your defenses so he can get what he wants._   
  
_Just call when you can, and we'll get all of the travel stuff straight._   
  
_See you soon!_   
  
_Haruhi_

* * *

  
  
Riiing. Riiing. Riiiiiing.  
  
A blond-haired girl came running from the other side of her house, barely reaching the phone before the answering machine.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Bunny!" The girl's face lit up.  
  
"Haruhi! It's so good to hear your voice again!" On the other end of the phone, Haruhi couldn't help but to smile at her American friend's enthusiasm.  
  
"It's good to hear yours too, Bunny. I'm calling about us trading places. When do you want to do it? I'm sorry, hold on - shut up you guys!"  
  
Bunny jumped at Haruhi's outburst and increase in volume, holding the phone slightly away from her.  
  
On the other end of the phone, Haruhi fussed at Hikaru and Kaoru.  
  
"Do what, Haruhi?" asked Hikaru.  
  
"She can't tell, it's a secret," said Kaoru.  
  
"Oh, c'mon, Haruhi."  
  
"You can tell us anything, y'know." They got on either side of her, arms around her waist. "It can be our secret," they whispered in her ears.  
  
But their feeble attempt in seducing her was nothing more than that.  
  
"Would you two cut it out? This is a very expensive long-distance call." But they wouldn't care about that – damn rich kids.  
  
"You two!" barked Tamaki. "Get away from my little girl!"  
  
"Hmm…"  
  
"No!" They stuck out their tongues.  
  
Tamaki went to charge at them, but Mori grabbed his shirt collar from behind, keeping him still. He and Haruhi sighed in exasperation.  
  
"Bunny, I'm sorry – Hey, Bunny, are you still there?"  
  
Back in America, Bunny had heard every word and sound over the phone. She stared at the phone in her hand, not knowing if she should laugh or be slightly afraid. She shook her head to clear it.  
  
"Yeah, I'm still here," she said with a laugh. Is the Host Club really that crazy? "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"  
  
"I was asking when you wanted to switch. Sorry, I got distracted," said Haruhi, scratching the back of her head.  
  
"Haha, it's okay. Hmm…." Bunny's phone wasn't cordless, so she had to crane her neck to see the calendar in the next room.  
  
"Sometime this month, right?"  
  
"Yeah, definitely." She leaned over farther in her chair, trying to make out the tiny letters and numbers in the tiny boxes. "Umm… How about- "  
  
 _CRASH._  
  
Limited in distance by her phone, the cord made her fall out of her swivel office chair as she leaned too far.  
  
"Um, Bunny? … Are you okay?"  
  
Bunny picked herself up off of the floor, rubbing her knee, which she had the misfortune to land on.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine. How's next week?"  
  
Haruhi pulled a pocket calendar out of her purse.  
  
"Yeah, it's good for me." She looked over her shoulder and saw that Mori had let go of Tamaki, who was now yelling at the Hitachiin twins, who had removed themselves from Haruhi.  
  
Haruhi sighed.  
  
"Bunny, I gotta go. These guys are about to drive me crazy. So, I'll see you next week? Okay, see you then! Bye!"  
  
Haruhi hung up the pay phone, and slowly turned around, facing the boys. She didn't say a word, just waited for them to see her extremely displeased face. Tamaki and the twins didn't seem to notice; the twins were too busy antagonizing Tamaki, and he was too busy getting ticked off. Kyoya cleared his throat to get their attention, and when he had it, pointed to Haruhi. Honey hid behind Mori.  
  
"Guys, you need to learn how to behave," she said, releasing her anger with a sigh.  
  
"But we do behave," said Tamaki. "Like perfect gentlemen," he purred.  
  
"Yeah, right," Haruhi muttered under her breath. "But seriously you guys; I have a friend coming to visit soon, and I don't want you to freak her out."  
  
"Ooh, the one you're gonna switch places with, Haru-chan?" Honey asked excitedly.  
  
"More like 'the one I'm losing my little girl to'," said Tamaki quite dramatically, placing his hand on his forehead in sorrow.  
  
"Senpai, you're not losing me to her. We're switching places for a little while, like Honey-senpai said. And for the last time, I'M NOT YOUR DAUGHTER!" Tamaki sunk into his sulking corner. Then suddenly, an idea popped into his head.  
  
"I know! When you leave, she'll be my daughter!" His eyes sparkled with joy as he spoke. "I will be her surrogate father, to protect her from these two deviants," he spat out, glaring at Hikaru and Kaoru. They snickered.  
  
"I think it sounds like we'll have a new toy to play with, Hikaru."  
  
"I agree, Kaoru. I think we should play the "Which one is Hikaru?" game again. It'll be real fun, playing with someone new." They grinned like Cheshire cats.  
  
"No!" interrupted Haruhi. "She's not used to speaking Japanese every day, so you guys are going to be nice to her."  
  
"Don't worry, Haruhi," said Kyoya. "We will show her the utmost respect and hospitality while you're gone. We'll behave like gentlemen, won't we, Tamaki?" He smirked at Tamaki, who beamed.  
  
"That's right!" They all expected him to talk more, but going by the gleam in his eyes, he was lost to the world.  
  
Haruhi sighed.  
  
"Honey-senpai? Mori-senpai?"  
  
"Yes, Haru-chan?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Could you two look after Bunny? Make sure she doesn't get lost or anything?"  
  
"Hm."  
  
"Leave it to us, Haru-chan!" Honey said cheerfully. "She and Usa-chan have the same name, so I'm sure we'll get along great! But my English isn't all that great…" he said, sounding downcast. Haruhi looked over at Kyoya.  
  
"Kyoya-senpai, would you mind…?"  
  
"Of course not," he said, smiling and pushing his glasses up. "It would be a pleasure to help your friend translate if she needs any help. You know that I speak perfect English."  
  
Haruhi smiled, finally feeling semi-okay with leaving her friend with the Host Club, if need be.  
  
"So…. What does she look like?" Hikaru asked, a cheesy grin on his face.  
  
"Hikaru, you're unbelievable!" Haruhi sighed, again.  
  
"What?" asked Kaoru. "It was a valid question."  
  
"Actually, I wouldn't mind knowing, myself," admitted Kyoya.  
  
Tamaki, Honey, and Mori nodded.  
  
"You guys are hopeless," said Haruhi, exasperated.


	2. Chapter 2

   “Ugh, Dad, quit it!” Bunny’s father was trying to squeeze the life out of her by giving her a so called hug.

  “ _Flight number 114, now boarding.”_

  “Well, that’s you, kiddo.” He rumpled his daughter’s light blond hair, the shade exactly like his. Their matching blue eyes met, both filled slightly with sadness.

  “Hey, I’ll be back in two weeks,” said Bunny with a smile. “And while I’m gone, you’ll have Haruhi to keep you company.” They both smiled.

  “You go easy on her dad and her friends, okay? Don’t let those boys touch you in any way!!!”

  “Dad!”

  He pushed her in the direction of her plane before she had a chance to say anything else.

  “Go,” he said with a smile. “If you don’t hurry, I might change my mind about letting you go to Japan.” He winked and she smiled, finally boarding her plane.

 

_Hours later, at an airport in Japan_

  Haruhi and her father were waiting for Bunny’s plane to arrive. They had to sneak out without telling the Host Club so they wouldn't somehow worm their way into going with them. There was no way Haruhi was going to do that to Bunny. All that male attention at once would overwhelm her.

  Bunny was a pretty girl, but the boys she went to school with never really paid her much attention. In the American stereotype, it didn’t make sense because she was a blue-eyed blond. She hated when people made assumptions about her just because of her appearance. She thought blond jokes were funny, but hated when they were directed straight at her, even though she had plenty of blond moments. Plus, she was shy around people she didn’t know very well. Instead of thinking she was shy; they just assumed she was stuck up, so they left her alone.

 _“Flight 114, now landing.”_ Haruhi checked the piece of paper she held in her hand.

  “Hey, Dad, I think that’s her flight.”

  “Oh?” They watched the immense crowd, waiting to see Bunny among them. It was a little difficult, because of her small height, but her blond hair against the sea of brown and black made it easier. “Hey, there she is!” Ranka spotted her first. He started waving enthusiastically, calling out her name.

  “Dad, people are staring,” said Haruhi, slightly embarrassed, but she was glad to see Bunny, too. Bunny looked up at the sound of her name, her eyes lighting up when she saw those two familiar faces.

  “Oh my god, Haruhi!!!” She ran to Haruhi, dropped her carry-on bag and practically tackled her, giving her a hug in the same fashion as Bunny’s father had earlier. The two girls laughed, feeling the joy of being reunited with a dear friend. “Oh my gosh, your hair!” she said, touching it. “It’s so short!” They both laughed again.

  “Yeah, but I like it.”

  “Oh, I like it too! It looks great on you.” Bunny just couldn’t stop smiling.

  “And where’s my hug, little girl?” Haruhi’s father tried to look angry, but the huge grin plastered in his face ruined it.

  “Right here!” Bunny tackled him just like she did to Haruhi.  “Gah, I missed you two so much!!! Is that a new dress?” she asked after Ranka released her.

  “Why yes, yes it is.” He seemed proud that she noticed.

  “Bunny, we've got a cab waiting,” said Haruhi.

  “Oh, let me go get my bags.”

  “I’ll help.”

  “You girls go on ahead, I’ll make sure no one steals our cab,” said Ranka with a smile.

 

_*Later, in the Fujioka home*_

  As soon as they got in the house, Bunny went straight to Haruhi’s mother’s shrine to pay her respects. She did this every time she visited Haruhi’s home. After that, she helped Haruhi get dinner together.

  “…Haruhi?”

  “Yeah, Bunny?” They put on a pot of water to boil.

  “I… I just wanted to thank you, for being there for me.” Haruhi stopped what she was doing and looked Bunny in the eye. “Haruhi, you’re one of the best friends I've ever had. You were there for me when I needed it the most… Just… thanks.”

  “Hey… come here.” Haruhi gave Bunny a much needed hug. Bunny fought back the tears that threatened to come out, and Haruhi could tell. “Just let it out, Bunny, it’s okay.” Bunny shook her head.

  “No. I promised myself I wouldn't cry.” She stepped out of the hug and forced herself to laugh. “If I start, I may not be able to stop.” She laughed again. Haruhi smiled at her, but inside was slightly worried.

 

  They finished making dinner and had a calm, quiet evening.

 

* * *

 

  “Good morning girls!!!” Ranka appeared in Haruhi’s room, where the two girls were sleeping. He turned on the light switch, banishing all hopes of sleeping in for the girls.

  “Urrf,” came the mumbling from under Haruhi’s blanket.

  “Mrrf,” came from Bunny’s fold out cot.

  “Now, that won’t do!” Ranka placed a hand on his hip, already fully dressed in drag. “You girls need to wake up and spend some more time together-- Haruhi has to go to America tonight!”

  The two girls poked their heads out from under their respective covers and smiled at each other.

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right, Dad,” she said with a smirk.

  “I’m glad you’re getting up, because I invited the boys to come over and meet Bunny!”

  Bunny froze, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

  “What?” Haruhi had the same expression on her face, as if she had been thinking the same thing. Then she got angry.

  “Dad, you invited the Host Club over?!”

  Bunny’s face turned tomato red in a matter of seconds.

  “The Host Club?! Are you serious?! Oh my god, I have to start getting ready!” Bunny started to freak out, desperately rummaging through her bags of clothes. “Gah, I can’t believe it. I thought I’d be able to lounge around without any make-up on, or without doing anything to my hair… I didn't think I’d be seeing any people, much less boys!!!”

  Haruhi sighed then shot her dad a glare.

  “See what you did?”

  “Oh, no, look at the time!” he said, looking at an imaginary watch in his wrist. “I must be going off to work now!!! Ta-ta!”

  Haruhi sighed as the front door slammed.

  “He didn't even say _when_ they’re coming…” She looked over at Bunny, who was silently having trouble choosing a green sundress or a white one. “The white one.”

  “Thank you, Haruhi!!!” She beamed at her then dashed to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Haruhi would have laughed if she wasn't so frustrated with her father. She sighed one last time and started getting dressed in a pair of capris and pink and orange tank tops, one layered over the other. She had just finished pinning a few strands of her hair back with pink bobby pins when Bunny came back, wearing the white sundress and feeling minty-fresh, running her tongue over her teeth. She quickly re-packed all the clothes she had dragged out then started putting on a light amount of make-up. The doorbell rang just as she finished pulling her hair into two pigtails.

  Haruhi was busy brushing _her_ teeth now.

  “Bunny,” she said, her voice muffled by her toothbrush. “Could you get that? I doubt that it’s them; they usually don’t get up so early.” Haruhi had Kyoya and Honey in mind when she said this.

  “Okay, sure!” She quickly spritzed on a light sweet-smelling perfume before answering the door.

  A flurry of rose petals swirled in as she opened it, greeted by six boys. The tall blond one had his hand thrust outward; he must have thrown the rose petals.

  “Hello, princess.” He knelt down in front of her, taking her hand and kissing it. “My name is Tamaki Suoh. It’s a pleasure to meet such a beautiful girl as yourself.” He pulled a rose, seemingly, out of thin air and handed it to her, smiling. His eyes seemed to sparkle the whole time.

  Bunny stared at him, her mouth slightly open. She blinked a few times before saying anything.

  “…Oh. Um, thank you?” She blushed a little in her confusion.

  “AWH, SHE’S SO CUTE, HARUHI!!!” He immediately pulled her into an unexpected hug, squeezing her and rubbing his head on top of hers, “awww”-ing the whole time.

  “Um… Excuse me?” Tamaki stopped, but didn't un-attach himself from her.

  “Yes?” He looked up at her with adoring eyes, which did nothing but freak her out even more.

  “Please get off. You’re creeping me out.”

  Tamaki went into his sulking corner.

  Haruhi came to the door as Bunny was readjusting her hair.

  “Oh, sorry Bunny.” Bunny said nothing, but nodded and smiled, showing she wasn't angry or upset with Haruhi. “Oh, hey guys. Come in.” They all thanked her and walked in, leaving Tamaki outside as Haruhi held the door open for them, Bunny slightly hiding behind her.

  After removing their shoes, they all went into the living room and sat around the table.

  “Haru-chan! We brought cake!” Bunny peeked into the box as Honey opened, blushing as he looked at her. “Don’t be so shy!” he said, laughing. “We’re not gonna hurt you!”

  “You’re really cute,” said Bunny, laughing. “You remind me of my little brother, even though you’re older than me.”

  Honey perked up in interest. Haruhi smiled to herself; Honey had sneakily coaxed Bunny out of her shell.

  "How do you know I’m older than you?”

  “Because I know you’re Honey,” she replied with a smile. “As a matter of fact,” she looked up and met each boy’s gaze. “I know who all of you are.” She smiled again. “You’re Mitsukuni Haninozuka, but most often called ‘Honey’.” Honey giggled and tilted his head to the side as he did so, squeezing Usa-chan in his arms. Bunny turned her gaze to the stoic boy setting next to Honey.

  “You’re Takashi Morinozuka, aka Mori.”

  "Hm.”

  “And you’re Kyoya Ooteri, who never stops writing in his little black book.”

  Kyoya smirked, amused.

  “You guessed right.”

  "And last, but not least, mischievous the Hitachiin twins, Hikaru and Kaoru." They chuckled, but were satisfied at their description.

  “Okay, so I brought a _bunch_ of different kinds of cake, because I didn’t know what kind you liked, Bunny-chan.” Honey smiled and giggled again.

 _So cute!!!_ Bunny did her best to not hug Honey and squeeze the life out of him. Honey took the lid off the box of cakes.

  By the looks on Honey’s and Bunny’s faces, it was as if the box contained bars of gold. Haruhi got some small plates and placed them on the table.

  “My favorite’s strawberry! What kind do _you_ like, Bunny-cha-“

  “YOU FORGOT ABOUT ME, BUNNY!!! HOW COULD YOU FORGET ABOUT YOUR DADDY?!” Tamaki shouted from the doorway, still not inside the living room.

  They all slowly turned around, staring at him in dry disbelief.

  “You’re not my father. And I didn’t forget; you already introduced yourself, didn’t you?” She smiled and held up the rose he gave her earlier.

  “Oh.” He seemed to deflate, whirling all around the room until he finally landed in between Haruhi and Bunny.

  “See? All that foolishness for nothing.” She took a piece of cheesecake from the box and placed it in front of him.  “Here, have some cake.” Tamaki wiped away his tears and poked his cake with his fork.

  “Okay,” he muttered quietly, eating his piece.

  “Bunny-chan, what kind do you like?” Honey asked again. Bunny smiled.

  “I _love_ chocolate.” Honey gave her a large chocolate piece. Her eyes widened at the size of it. “Oh, wow… thanks!” Tamaki quickly got over himself.

  “Awwww, that’s so cute, Bunny!” He went to hug her again, but she held her hand out and placed it on his face, keeping him away from her. He looked as if he was about to cry again, but he kept his eyes on his cake, poking it with his fork.

  He looked up at her, but then quickly looked back down.

  Bunny felt a pang in her heart. She quickly looked up at Haruhi and understood: it was the puppy dog eyes.

  Bunny looked at her own plate, focusing on not looking at Tamaki.

  He looked back up her again, but this time a little bit longer. He even whimpered a bit.

  Kyoya, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Honey were watching Bunny closely, to see if she’d cave, while Mori had quietly gotten a piece of cake for himself and began eating it. Haruhi already knew what the outcome would be. Tamaki rubbed his finger in circles on the table then looked back up at Bunny.

  She made the mistake of looking at him.

  And she caved.

  She sighed, and let Tamaki hug her again, cooing over her.

_Haruhi was right—those puppy eyes are **lethal.**_

 


	3. Chapter 3

  “You’ll never be able to get rid of him now,” Kyoya told Bunny as he pushed up his glasses, smirking at her and Tamaki.

  “I know,” she sighed.

  “You also never formally introduced yourself,” he said, smirk still in place.

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” She sat up straight. “My name is Bunny Marie Lapin. I just got out of my sophomore year in high school.”

  “Hey, you’re our age,” the twins chimed. “Awesome.”

  “That name sounds French,” said Tamaki, sounding interested. “Is it?”

  “It is,” she said with a nod and a smile. “My grandmother is still in France.”

  “What about your grandfather?”

  “He died soon after my brother was born.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry.” What shocked Bunny was that he really looked it.

  “No, it’s okay,” she said with a smile. “He had cancer. He had been suffering for many years, and was holding out to see his only grandson born. After Peter was born, he died in peace.”

  “So, you say you have a little brother?” asked Kyoya, his pencil pausing for a moment.

  “Yeah. Pete turned ten last March.” Bunny smiled, but then noticed Kyoya writing down what she said. “Um, why are you writing that down?”

  “As you stated earlier, I never stop writing in my ‘little black book’,” he replied, smirking at her over his glasses. “I make it my business to know everyone else’s. I need to know if associating myself with you with harm or benefit me.”

  Everybody stopped eating.

  “Sorry about that,” said Kaoru, scratching the back of his head.

  “He can be cold like that,” said Hikaru, doing the same thing.

  Bunny laughed.

  “It’s not really all that cold. It’s quite intelligent.”

  Kyoya smiled. “Why, thank you.”

  “Others may call it being nosy.”

  Kyoya stopped smiling and stared at her. She smiled and took another bite of cake, turning her attention to the twins.

  “I can’t tell which twin is which right now.” They grinned mischievously.

  “I’m Hikaru,” said Kaoru.

  “And I’m Kaoru,” said Hikaru.

  Bunny frowned.

  “No, you’re not.” They stopped grinning.

  “But you said you couldn't tell!” they chimed.

  “I couldn't until you smiled,” she said, smiling herself. “I know how you two can be—Haruhi’s told me all about you guys, and the rest of you too.”

  “AWW, you talk about Daddy?!”

  “Senpai!!!”

  Back to the sulking corner.

  A few hours went by and Bunny slowly reverted back to being her shy self. She didn't mind though; she liked to observe, and loved to see the boys interact with each other and Haruhi. She was amazed at how each and every one of them was exactly how Haruhi had described them, down to the very last detail.

  Maybe she wasn't shy, but observant.

  Mori looked at Bunny out of the corner of his eye, interested by her silence. Honey said something and they all laughed, Bunny in particular. Honey flopped over and laid his head in her lap, looking up at her with the cheesiest grin in the world. She seemed taken aback at first, but then smiled back down at him and began stroking his hair.

_She must be okay if Mitsukuni likes her so much. He’s safe with her._

  Bunny felt someone’s eyes on her and looked up, catching Mori’s gaze. They both flinched and turned their heads quickly, turning red. Honey noticed.

  “Huh?” Then he saw Mori’s face. A sly grin crept onto his face, not unlike a Hitachiin smile. It sent shivers down Haruhi’s spine. “Ohh, Takashi. You must think Bunny’s _really_ _pretty_ to be blushing so badly.” Both people turned even redder. Bunny covered her mouth with her hand, something she did when she was embarrassed, shocked, or trying to hide a smile.

  “No! I mean, uh, yeah, she’s pretty, but that’s not-- I mean, uh—“ He abruptly stopped talking and stared and the floor, silent once more. The whole room was quiet; everyone except Bunny was staring at Mori. Having all of the attention focused on him started to make him feel uncomfortable.

  “Hey, Takashi, it’s starting to get a bit late,” said Honey. “Let’s go home, ‘kay?”

  He picked up Honey and bolted for the door, not even telling them good-bye.

  The awkward silence didn't leave with them.

  “Gentlemen, I believe that is our cue to leave,” said Kyoya, standing up. Tamaki and Hikaru and Kaoru did the same.

  “Oh, okay,” said Haruhi. She seemed a little surprised at what had happened. “I guess I’ll see you guys tomorrow, before I leave.”

  “Bunny, it was a pleasure to meet you,” said Kyoya, extending his hand to her. She took it, shaking it as she spoke.

  “I hope I didn't step on your toes _too_ much,” she said, smiling. Kyoya smiled back at her, a competitive glint in his eye.

  “Bunny, let’s play a game-“ started Hikaru.

  “-next time we see you,” finished Kaoru.

  “Okay?” they said together. She laughed.

  “Okay, whatever you want.”

  “ _Whatever-?”_

  “Um, no, I didn't mean it like that!” She covered her mouth again; her face turning the same shade as a beet.

  “We’ll see you around Bunny,” they said as they walked out the door. 

  “My dear princess, don’t look so forlorn,” whispered Tamaki as he pulled her into an embrace. “We’ll see each other soon again, and the reunion will be sweeter than our first meeting, if such a thing is possible.” Bunny laughed and actually hugged him back.

  “Yeah, I guess anything is possible.” If she hadn't returned his embrace he would be in his sulking corner by now.

  “Come on, Daddy,” said Kyoya. “I’ll give you a ride back.” Tamaki bowed as he closed the door behind him.

  “Bye, Senpais!” Haruhi called. She then turned to Bunny, a slight smile on her face. “See what you have to look forward to?”

  Bunny laughed.

  “I don’t know why you complain so much – already I love them to pieces.”

 

_In the Morinozuka home_

  “Takashi, dear, is something wrong?” Mori looked down at his mother.

  “Everything’s fine. Why do you ask?” His mom laid her hand on his forehead, checking for a fever. She looked up into his eyes and laughed.

  “Sweetheart, you’re over-tired. What have you been doing today?”

  “Mitsukuni and I were sparring this morning.” She smiled.

  “ _That_ explains it. Now, it’s time for you to go to bed.”

  “Okay, goodnight, Mom.” He leaned down and wrapped his long arms around her in bear hug.

  “Goodnight, Sweetie. Sleep well!”

  Mori went to his room, his large feet dragging on the carpet.

  “Takashi!”

  “Mm?”

  “I love you!”

  "Hm," he said, meaning 'I love you too.'

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mori kind of took control of writing himself in this chapter, so I was a little concerned about having him be so talkative (OOC is really a big pet peeve of mine). But then I remembered that in the manga there was a short story where Mori wears himself out doing something and as a result is incredibly flirtatious. I really dodged a bullet there.


	4. Chapter 4

   Birds chirping in the early morning woke Haruhi up. She opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling, wondering what she was going to pack for America. She rolled onto her side and saw that Bunny was awake, doing exactly as Haruhi had been earlier. She looked over and met Haruhi’s eye, her face expressionless. For a while, they said nothing, just looking at each other. They didn’t need to say anything. Words weren’t necessary in their friendship; they understood each other with a single glance, with an unspoken thought.

  Ranka poked his head into the room. They turned to look at him at the same time with the same happy, yet sad expressions on their faces. He smiled softly at them before leaving to get a cup of coffee.

 

* * *

  The trio was silent as they waited for Haruhi’s plane to begin boarding, seated on one of the numerous rows of designated seats. Ranka hid behind a large pair on sunglasses and had covered his head with a bandana. Haruhi’s flight left very early in the morning so he didn’t have time to put on any make-up or mess with his hair. He lounged in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Haruhi had thrown on some baggy shorts and a baggy t-shirt. Bunny was stretched out on the seats, her legs partially covered with a pleated blue skirt and her top with a white cami-type shirt with inch-thick straps. Her head rested in Haruhi’s lap, her blonde hair flowing over the edge of the chair.

  Ranka looked at the two girls out the corner of his eye. Haruhi never had any siblings, and Bunny never had any sisters. Those two went together like peanut butter and jelly, as Bunny’s father would say. Ranka agreed with that statement. At times, the two girls were like night and day; Haruhi was quiet and thoughtful, and Bunny was very easily excited. They even looked like opposites, to a certain extent, like Bunny’s long blonde hair and blue eyes verses Haruhi’s short brown hair and brown eyes. Bunny almost always wore dresses and skirts and other feminine clothes, whereas Haruhi didn’t really mind what she was wearing, just as long as it counted as clothing. But something between them had clicked, and instantly formed a bond that had withstood distance and time. Throughout all of their troubles in their own lives, they never hesitated to pick up a pen and write to the other.

  Most girls wrote in diaries. Bunny and Haruhi wrote to each other.

  Soon, they heard the announcement they’d been waiting for.

  “I guess you’d better get going, kid,” said Haruhi’s dad, giving her a hug.

  “Yeah, it would suck to miss the plane when we paid for the ticket already.” It was Bunny’s turn for a hug.

  “I don’t think it’s too late to get it exchanged….” Haruhi laughed.

  “This was your idea!” Bunny laughed too.

  “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry, go ahead. Daddy’s expecting you.” The two girls laughed, but then Haruhi face-palmed herself.

  “Why did I think of Tamaki-senpai when you said that?”

  “Speak of the devil,” muttered Ranka, looking fairly unhappy. Haruhi and Bunny turned around and saw the entire Host Club, minus Kyoya, enter the airport. Honey, perched atop Mori’s shoulders, appeared to be looking for Haruhi. He spotted her and the rest of her small group, shouted something they couldn’t hear because of the distance, and pointed in their direction with Usa-chan. In the blink of an eye they were there. The extreme wind created by their sudden appearance caused Ranka’s bandana to fly away and Bunny to force her skirt from flipping up. She turned pink as she did this.

  “And he shall appear.” Haruhi finished Ranka’s statement as four of the boys glomped her. “Ugh, guys, get off. I have to go!” All but Tamaki did as she asked. “Senpai, please!”

  Tamaki slowly got up, holding his hand out to Haruhi to help her up. She took it, and he pulled her up and into his arms, cradling her head in his hand.

  It took all of Bunny’s strength (which really wasn’t very much) to hold Ranka back from plowing Tamaki down.

  “Um, Senpai? What are you doing?” Haruhi felt a slight blush creep along her cheeks.

  “Shhh, Haruhi,” he whispered, relishing the feeling of Haruhi in his arms. “Don’t ruin this tender Father/Daughter moment.”

  Haruhi snorted with indignation and pushed him away from her.

  “I really have to go now, you guys.” Haruhi smiled at them all, but they could see the hint of sadness in her eyes.  After a final glimpse at them over her shoulder, she began walking away.

  “Wait, Haruhi!” Bunny called out to her. Haruhi stopped briefly.

  “Yeah?”

  “Don’t stop writing, okay?”

  Haruhi laughed.

  “Okay, I promise!”

  They all waved to her until she was out of sight. Ranka was the first to speak after a slightly sad period of silence.

  “Well, I’m going back to sleep for a few more hours, then I’m going to work.” He stretched, then started to leave. “Bunny, are you coming back for a bit?”

  Bunny played with a strand of her hair, not wanting to meet anyone’s eye.

  “I dunno,” she said quietly. “No, I don’t want to.”

  “Well, where are you going to go?” He put his hands on his hips; he obviously wasn’t going to let her go off somewhere by herself.

  “Ummm… I could go to the supermarket…” It was bizarre, but she enjoyed seeing the differences in what this local supermarket had and what her own back at home carried. Tamaki perked up.

 _I LOVE the Commoners’ supermarket!!!_ He began to wiggle with anticipation.

  “No, the supermarket isn’t open yet, and it won’t be until much later. I’m afraid you’ll have to come back at least until I go to work,” Ranka said firmly. But Tamaki was determined to spend some time establishing a fatherly bond with Bunny. He was about to make a suggestion, but Hikaru and Kaoru beat him to it with their own.

  “Hey, Bunny,” said Hikaru.

  “You should come hang out with us later,” said Kaoru. They both put an arm around her shoulders.

  “Oh?” She sounded slightly interested… or was that fear?

  “Yeah, it’ll be fun,” promised Hikaru.

  “We can play dress up in our mother’s designs. Or, we can dress _you_ up,” said Kaoru, winking suggestively. Tamaki was furious.

  “HOW DARE YOU TALK TO BUNNY LIKE THAT!!!? WHAT MAKES YOU THINK—“

  “Actually,” interrupted Bunny, placing a finger thoughtfully on her chin. “That sounds pretty entertaining.”

  Hikaru and Kaoru grinned and stuck their tongues out at Tamaki. He was about to attempt to beat them to a pulp when Bunny spoke again.

  “But as fun as it sounds, I think I _will_ stay at Haruhi’s house. I really don’t want to go anywhere else today.” She looked at the ground as she spoke, giving off an air of gloominess. Hikaru’s, Kaoru’s, and Tamaki’s shoulders sagged. They wanted to spend time with Bunny. “Ranka, I’m gonna go ahead and get a cab. I’ll wait on you.” She smiled then left. They watched her walk quickly away, as if she was anxious to get back.

  “Poor kid,” sighed Ranka. The boys turned to him with curious expressions; even Mori seemed interested. They waited for him to explain, but he just stood there, looking in the direction she left. Tamaki got impatient.

  “Aren’t you going to--?!” Honey stepped on his toe, interrupting him.

  “Ranka, what do you mean by that?” He looked up innocently at Haruhi’s father. Ranka sighed again and looked at the boys, ignoring the whimpers of pain coming from the sulking corner (“Honey-senpai, _how could you?_ ”).

  “Bunny may seem happy, but she’s really going through a hard time right now. Her mom left her family when she was twelve, and hasn’t contacted them since. She never calls to check on them, not even to tell the kids ‘Happy Birthday.’ Her dad is struggling as a single parent, and Bunny has been trying her best to look after her brother while their dad is away at work. And her little brother got into an accident about a month ago.” A dark shadow fell over his face. “If you want to know more about it, you’ll have to ask her.” This serious information brought Tamaki out of his sulking corner.

  “Oh…” he said, at a loss for words. “She must be in a lot of pain right now….” He couldn’t help but to worry about her.

  “Is her brother okay?” asked Honey. Hikaru and Kaoru were concerned, too: they wouldn’t know what to do if something happened to the other.

  “He’s not in pain anymore, if that’s what you mean.” He looked away from them. “Ask her.”

  “Ranka!” They looked up and saw Bunny waving from the exit. “Come on, the cab driver is waiting!” For the first time the boys took a good look at her smile; on the surface, it seemed to be an exceptionally happy one, but upon closer inspection they saw how fragile it really was, as if it could shatter in a moment.

 _Such a fragile smile must reflect the state of her soul,_ thought Tamaki, frowning. He was such a bleeding heart.

  “One more thing,” said Ranka as he turned to leave. “Bunny wears her heart on her sleeve; she means every word she says. If you hurt her in ANY way…” He trailed off, his stare threatening.

  “Why are you looking at me?” Tamaki asked nervously. Ranka didn’t reply, but left.

  “Coming, Bunny!” The tranny left the boys feeling… well, sad. And slightly intimidated. Honey and Mori told the three goodbye, then left in their own car.

  “Hikaru,” said Kaoru, looking at his brother non-deviously (for once).

  “Yeah?”

  “I think we should do something nice for her.” Tamaki listened interestedly.

  “I was thinking the same thing,” he said, telling the truth (for once). They walked outside to continue their conversation.

  “But what should we do?” asked Hikaru. “I’m stumped.”

  “Then let’s make it a game,” his twin said with a smile. “Let’s call it the ‘Cheer up Bunny’ game!”

  “Yeah!” agreed Hikaru, sounding excited. “And whoever makes her smile, _really_ smile, first, wins.”

  “Fine,” said Tamaki, “But only the three of us are allowed to play.” He had an image in his head of Honey and Bunny having a tea (but mostly cake) party, where Honey made her laugh without even trying.

  “Yeah, okay, Boss,” Kaoru said with a smirk.

  “Good luck,” said Hikaru as their car (understatement) pulled up. “You’re gonna need it, Boss.”

  “What do you mean by that?!” asked Tamaki, slightly ticked off.

  “Nothing,” they replied in unison. That devious gleam entered their eyes again. “You just seem to get on her nerves.” They jumped in the car before Tamaki could do anything to them then rolled down the window, sticking their tongues out at him as they drove away.

  Tamaki was in the middle of having a fit when his car pulled up.

  “Uh, Master Tamaki?” asked the driver, sounding slightly afraid.

  “I’m fine,” Tamaki replied, smoothing his hair into place. He got into the car and began talking to himself. “I’ll win, no doubt about that. No one can resist my charm.” Haruhi’s face flashed in his mind, but he pushed it away. “No, she only _pretends_ to, that’s right…”

  His chauffeur looked at Tamaki through the rear-view mirror, a concerned look on his face.

_Maybe I should ask for a raise…._

 


	5. Chapter 5

  Bunny couldn't get back to sleep. No matter how hard she tried, she just was just laying there. After Ranka left for work she moved into the living room, doing nothing but drumming her fingers on the table. She looked around the house and started to notice that it was a mess.

 _Ranka must’ve really been in a hurry to get to work – he left his make-up scattered all over the place_.

  Bunny sighed then began to clean the house. She started with Ranka’s vast make-up collection, since it was spread all over the house.

  “Ugh, this is gonna take _hours_ ,” she said as she scooped up an armful of individual eye shadow pots.  _Doesn't he know these things come in palettes?!_

 

_At the Hitachiin Mansion_

 

  “This would look better!” Hikaru held up a peachy-pink dress with sheer long sleeves. Black lace encircled the dress and sleeves, stopping an inch before the two-tiered ruffled skirt.

  “No, this would!” Kaoru held up a sleeveless cornflower-blue dress. The front and back of the dress was pin tucked and the slightly flared skirt was adorned with flowers.

  Hikaru snorted in contempt.

  “Oh, please, Kaoru.  The skirt on that dress is too full! It would completely overwhelm her small frame!”

  “That’s not true!” shouted Kaoru, defending his choice. “Your dress would completely wash out any color in her face!”

  “Oh yeah?! Well at least _my_ dress is figure flattering. Yours would give her no shape!”

  “Liar!”

  “Boys, boys!” interrupted Tamaki, who had been watching them bicker for some time now. “Isn’t the point of this to make Bunny happy? If she were here, I’m sure you would have the opposite effect.”

  “Yeah, true,” they grumbled. “Which do _you_ like best, boss?”

  “I think that’s up to her,” he said with a smile. _Those dumb doppelgangers—I’m not falling for their trap to help them. The whole fight was a fake, I know it was!_

  “So, boss,” said Hikaru, his dress choice packaged neatly in a brightly colored bag.

  “What are _you_ gonna do for Bunny?” asked Kaoru, folding his arms. Tamaki smirked.

  “Something more than just _give_ her a couple of dresses. What _I’m_ going to do, money can’t buy.”

  “Oh?” Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged a look.

  “Yes, it will be fantastic!  Bunny and I will have perfect father/daughter bonding today! We will become inseparable!”

 

**_In the Theatre of Tamaki’s Mind_ **

 

_Tamaki said something silly, and Bunny leaned her head back and laughed as she never had before as they strolled down a beach together._

_“Wow, Tamaki!” she said in surprise, a smile lighting up her face. She pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. “Haruhi never told me how funny you are!”_

_“Yes, it’s one of my many talents,” he said, smiling down at her. “Along with being a kind and caring father.” Bunny nodded in agreement._

_“Tamaki, I know this may seem weird and all because we just met, but I feel so close to you already! I look up to you as… well… as a father.”_

_“Oh, Bunny!” Tamaki swept her up into a hug, the two of them laughing with joy as he spun her around. “Come on, I’ll give you a piggyback ride!”_

_“Yayyy!!!”_

  “Um, boss?” Tamaki was hugging himself, completely smitten with whatever thought was in his head, laughing and drooling slightly. Hikaru looked at Kaoru, then back at Tamaki.

  “TAMAKI-SENPAI!!!” Tamaki snapped out of his daydream.

  “Yes?”                                                                                                                                                                   

  “Kyoya-senpai’s limo just pulled up,” said Kaoru, pointing out the window.

  “Oh, then let’s go!” He grabbed the two boys by the back of their shirts and dragged out of their house.

  “Wait, our dresses for Bunny!!!”

 

* * *

 

 

  “There, now it looks presentable.” Bunny sighed and rubbed her cheek with the back of her hand. “Whew. What a mess _that_ was.” She had just put away the cleaning supplies when she heard a knock on the door.

  Bunny froze, slowly and quietly closing the cabinet door. She crawled on her hands and knees to the door, making as little noise as possible.

_Please don’t be them; please don’t be the Host Club, **please, please, please…!**_

  She slowly stood up and looked through the peephole.

_Dammit!_

  On the other side of the door stood the boys, this time including Kyoya. She saw the twins clutching two bags and, though she felt suspicious, she also felt slightly curious. She stood there for a moment, debating on whether or not she should let them in. After all, they didn’t call, or even say they were coming when she saw them earlier. And she looked like a bit of a mess, with a bandana holding her hair back. Her eyes fell on Honey, and her expression softened.

  “You’re damn lucky you look like him,” she said to herself with a sigh. She took off her rubber gloves and threw them in the sink, then opened the door.

  “Bun-ny-chaaaan!!!” they chorused, “they” meaning “All but Mori and Kyoya.” Mori grunted and Kyoya nodded in acknowledgement.

  Honey flew off of Mori’s shoulders and hugged Bunny, nearly knocking her over.

  “We haven’t seen you in a loooong time!” he said, smiling up at her.

  “It was only a few hours ago,” she said with a small laugh. Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki inspected her smile closely, then sighed with relief.

  “It’s not the one we’re looking for,” Tamaki whispered behind his hand. The twins nodded.

  “Um, come in,” said Bunny, stepping aside.

  “Thank you,” said Kyoya as the rest of them ran inside. Bunny closed the door after he went in.

  “Wow,” said Honey, in awe. “I’ve never seen Haru-chan’s home so clean before.” Bunny laughed.

  “I couldn’t sleep when we got back, so I cleaned up.” They all stared at the place with their mouths open; even Kyoya seemed a bit impressed. He scribbled something down. Bunny scratched the back of her head, a little uncomfortable at their reaction.  “It’s no big deal. Ranka left a complete mess after he left, so I cleaned up a bit.”

  “Oh, Bunny, how sweet of you!” said Tamaki, throwing his arms around her. “And you look so adorable with the cloth in your hair! You look just like a little bunny rabbit!” Suddenly, a funny look came across his face, as if something had possibly managed to click in his brain. “Bunny, what did you say you last name is?”

  “Lapin. Why?”

  Tamaki stared blankly at her for a moment then burst out laughing.

  “Really?! Are you serious?! That’s amazing! And your first name is Bunny—“ Tamaki couldn’t stop laughing. Bunny didn’t find this amusing.

  “What’s so funny?” asked Honey.

  “We don’t get it,” said Hikaru and Kaoru.

  Mori tilted his head to the side.

  Bunny sighed.

  “’Lapin’ is French for ‘rabbit’.”

  They stared at her, then fell to the floor with laughter.

  “Are you serious?!” asked Hikaru.

  “Haha, your name- your name is- Bunny Rabbit! Hee hee hee!!!” Kaoru rolled over, clutching his side. “Oh, that’s so _rich!”_

  Honey couldn’t speak, he was laughing so hard. He just rolled around, giggling.

  Bunny dryly looked up at Mori. His shoulders shook with silent laughter. He looked away from her as he smiled. Even Kyoya couldn’t suppress a chuckle.

  “And you brother’s name is Peter, correct?” he asked, pushing up his glasses.

  “Yup. Peter Rabbit and Bunny Rabbit. My mom thought it’d be hilarious.”

  “I must admit I agree with her.”

  A sour look passed over Bunny’s face, but it had appeared and disappeared so quickly it was as if they had only imagined it. Kyoya raised an eyebrow and wrote something down.

  “Oh, Bunny,” said Kaoru. “There’s something black on your cheek.”

  “Oh? It’s probably just make-up. I need something to wipe it off with….” The twins and Tamaki exchanged glances.

  “HERE, BUNNY, TAKE MY HANDKERCHIEF!” They scrambled to pull theirs out of their pockets and hand one to her, but they kept fumbling over each other. Bunny, Honey, Kyoya, and Mori stared at them in exasperation. Finally, Hikaru shoved Tamaki’s head down and Kaoru handed his to Bunny, smiling courteously.

  “Here you go, Milady.” Bunny stared blankly at them, but took it.

  “Um, thank you….” She scrubbed her cheek, but couldn’t seem to get it.

  “Here; let me,” Kaoru said. He took the piece of cloth and gently wiped her face. He should have also wiped away the sweat drop that appeared on the side of Bunny’s head.

  “Yeah, thanks….” She hoped that no one could see the slight flush that lingered after the black mark.

  “Hey, Bunny, we brought you something,” Hikaru said, bringing the attention to himself. He held up his bag before Kaoru had a chance to get his.

  “Oh, thanks,” she said, slightly surprised.  He handed it to her.

  “Go on, open it!” She did, and pulled the light colored dress out of the bag.

  “Um…”

  “It’s one of the new dresses from our mother’s newest collection,” he said, a smirk on his face.

  “Bunny-chan, you should go try it on!” Honey’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the dress. Tamaki and the twins nodded their heads enthusiastically in agreement. Bunny had that “deer in the headlights” look.

  “Uh, wha—?“

  “Come on, Bunny!” said Tamaki. “Model it for us!”

  “But—“

  “Model! Model! Model! Model!” shouted Hikaru and Kaoru. Bunny gave out one last cry of protest as they threw her into Haruhi’s room, slamming the door behind her.

  Inside, Bunny stood there, slightly dumbfounded. Then she shrugged her shoulders.

  “I guess it couldn’t hurt.” She quickly took off her clothes and slid the dress over her head, fastening the button on the back. She was shocked at how well the dress fit. While she was there, she removed the bandana from her hair and quickly ran a brush through it.

  “Guys, how did you know my size?” she asked as she stepped out of the room. When she looked up, she noticed that the lights were all off. “Guys?” She felt her way into the living room, where a spotlight suddenly illuminated her.

  “Here comes Bunny Lapin!” announced Kaoru into a microphone ( _Where the hell did they get that and a spotlight?_ ). Hikaru appeared by her side, making her loop her arm through his as they walked down the catwalk that had also suddenly appeared. “Escorted by Hikaru Hitachiin, wearing one of the pieces from the newest Hitachiin Summer Collection!”

_What the hell?!_

  As they walked down to the end of the catwalk, Bunny could barely make out the rest of the boys through the glare of the spotlight. Honey and Tamaki were cheering loudly, even though it was unnecessary.

  “Ladies, this is an essential piece to your own summer collection! This light peach dream brings a fresh flush to any maiden’s cheek. The lace details on the bodice create the illusion of curves _or_ accentuate your own.” As Kaoru spoke, Hikaru motioned towards the details that he described. His hand brushed against Bunny’s waist, causing her to flinch slightly. “The ruffled skirt adds volume where you may be lacking it.” A look from both of the boys told Bunny that this statement wasn’t directed at her. Her eyes widened in shock and slight embarrassment. “The keyhole style fastening on the back adds a sexy touch to this otherwise innocent and flirty piece.” Hikaru pulled a hair clip out of nowhere and swept Bunny’s hair up and away, exposing the fastening. Bunny felt a crimson blush creep up her neck and onto her face.

  “The next one!” shouted Tamaki. “Daddy wants to see the next one!” Once again, before she had time to object she was shoved into Haruhi’s room (which had a sign hanging on it that read “Dressing Room”) with a bag in her hand.

  She grumbled to herself as she pulled the next dress on, not even bothering to look at it. She stepped out of the room once she finished and was greeted by Kaoru this time. He smiled at her and offered his arm. With a half-sarcastic smile, she took his arm and once again strolled down the catwalk. Hikaru now played the role of announcer.

  “The only thing bluer than this dress is the summer sky itself! This piece, also from the new Summer Collection, has a more formal feel to it than its predecessor. The flirty flare of the skirt creates a silhouette that is flattering on any body type.” Kaoru gestured gracefully towards the hem of the skirt. “The flowers replicate the very ones that are blooming in the open meadows; don’t just carry a piece of summer, wear it!”

 _I thought flowers bloomed in spring…._ Bunny kept this to herself, not wanting to spoil their fun. The gleam in their eyes made her giggle.

  But she had to admit, she was having a bit of fun, too.

  “Okay, show’s over,” said Kyoya. All of the lights turned on, and Bunny analyzed the room. The spotlight had been a lamp that Mori held above their heads and the catwalk was made of the few tables in the apartment pushed together.

  The microphone was real, though. Hikaru tossed it to Tamaki, who tucked it inside his jacket after turning it off. Bunny raised an eyebrow, but held her tongue.

  “Well, that was….”

   They crowded around her, waiting for her to finish her sentence. In the background, Kyoya was telling Mori where to put the tables back.

  “…quite fun, actually.” Bunny looked up at them and smiled. Tamaki panicked for a moment, but saw in her eyes that she was holding back a little bit. Even though this meant he hadn’t lost yet, it made him feel unhappy.

  “Hey, Bunny!” he said. She turned to him, raising her eyebrows to show that she was listening.

  “Yes?” She ignored Hikaru and Kaoru as they messed with the dress, adjusting the hem and lightly tugging on the flowers.

  “I have something for you, too,” he said, smiling.

  “Oh? Will you two cut it out?!” She impatiently swatted their hands away after it became clear they were only trying to annoy her; they succeeded. “What is it?”

  “I can’t give it to you. I have to _show_ it to you. It’s something that _money can’t buy_.” He stuck his tongue out at Hikaru and Kaoru, who were doing the same thing behind Bunny’s back. She quickly turned around, but they stopped before she could see and put their hands behind their backs, whistling innocently. She rolled her eyes and turned back around.

  “Oh really? Why am I suspicious?” she said, raising an eyebrow.

  “Aww, don’t be like that, Bunny!” said Kaoru.

  “Yeah, I’m sure Boss has something _really great_ planned,” said Hikaru. They snickered.Bunny turned to see Tamaki in his sulking. For the first time, Bunny was the one to comfort him.

  “Aw, come on, Tamaki,” she said soothingly, placing an arm around his shoulder. “I’m sure it really _is_ great. Don’t listen to those grumpy old twins.” She stuck her tongue out at them while Tamaki had his back turned.

_That’s for using me as your personal Barbie without my permission._

  “Besides, I’m flattered that you would do something for me. It doesn’t matter what it is, I’m sure I’ll like it anyway.”

  Tamaki sniffed.

  “R-really?” He tearfully looked up at Bunny. She smiled warmly at him.

  “Really.” She stood up and held her hand out to him. He smiled back at her and took it.

  “Gentlemen, I believe we just witnessed the beginning of a very close friendship,” Kyoya said.

  “Who are you talking to, Kyo-chan?” Honey looked up at Kyoya, looking slightly confused.

  “No one in particular,” Kyoya said, smirking as he pushed up his glasses.

 


	6. Chapter 6

  “Um, guys? I can’t honestly say I’m completely comfortable with this.” After Bunny changed back into her clothes from earlier, the twins blindfolded Bunny and tossed her into the back of their limo at Tamaki’s command. She was now nestled in between the two troublemakers, blindfold still in place, wearing a confused and slightly afraid expression. Kyoya, Honey, Mori, and Tamaki were sitting across from them.

  “Oh, come now, Bunny!” said Tamaki, gazing adoringly at her, although it was useless because she couldn’t see him through the blindfold. “You can trust us. Don’t you like surprises?”

  Bunny wasn’t sure if she should answer his question or not.

  “Um… no, not really….”

  Tamaki acted as if he had not heard her.

  “It’s going to be so much fun, Bunny! Of course we won’t be able to spend too much time here because none of us are properly dressed, but we can come back when you want.” This made Bunny raise an eyebrow, but this was her only response.

  “Oh, we’re heeeerrre!!!!” Tamaki sang before long. Bunny reached to undo her blindfold, but the twins stopped her.

  “Nah-uh-uh,” said Hikaru.

  “It’s still a surprise. You have to wait for Tamaki-senpai to take it off,” said Kaoru. Bunny sighed, but it came out as more of a huff.

  The chauffeur got out and opened the door for Tamaki. Tamaki got out and pulled Bunny out by the hand.

  “Hey, we could’ve gotten out then, Boss,” said Hikaru grumpily.

  “Nah-ah, ladies first, my good men,” said Tamaki, smiling down at Bunny graciously. Once again, his action was wasted because of her blindfold. Her face was blank, devoid of emotion.

  But on the inside, she felt like she was standing on a plank of wood in rough waters, uncertain and unsteady.

  The rest of the boys filed out of the car and the chauffeur left to park the vehicle. Honey ran ahead of everyone, laughing and jumping around, Mori standing not too far away. Kyoya turned away from them and took out his notebook. Kaoru and Hikaru disappeared, most likely getting into some type of mischief. Tamaki took Bunny by the hand and led her ahead.

  “This way, Bunny, just a little but further!”  He led her at a slow pace so she wouldn’t trip on anything.

  A salty scent began to fill the air with each step they took, as did the sound of crashing waves. Bunny’s stomach began to twist with discomfort as she began to get an idea of where she was.

  “Okay, I’m going to take the blindfold off now. Are you ready?”

  Bunny nodded, gripping the hem of her shirt tightly in her fists. She gasped as the blindfold fell away and allowed her to see.

  It was a beach. The sun shone brightly down on them, making the sandy shores seem to glitter. The sea glistened as waves gently rolled onto the shore, creating a calming, rhythmic sound. Tamaki breathed deeply, sighing in content.

  Bunny slowly scanned the area, taking every bit in. Her eyes began to fill with moisture.

  “Tamaki… can we go now?”

  “Huh?” He stopped, mid-stretch, and looked down at her, a puzzled look splashed across his face. “What do you mean, Bunny? We just got here—“

  She looked up at him, eyes wet. A single tear spilled down her cheek as she blinked.

  Tamaki’s breath caught in his chest; this was the exact opposite reaction he was looking for. Without speaking, he grabbed her and pulled her close to him in an embrace. He smoothed her hair down as she clung to the front of his shirt.

  “Hey, now,” he said in a soothing tone. “It’s okay, there’s no need to cry.” She pushed herself away from him quickly, although inside she regretted it.

  “I’m not crying,” she said defensively. Tamaki was shocked to see it was true, she _wasn’t_ crying. Tamaki would have thought he had been seeing things if there wasn’t a damp line running down her face, left by the first and only tear.

  He stared at her for a moment, then asked:

  “Do you still want to go?” She looked down at the ground, flinching when she saw the sand so she closed her eyes instead. She nodded, not wanting to speak.

  “Okay then. We’re leaving,” he said simply. He started to walk away, but stopped when he noticed that Bunny wasn’t following him. He turned and saw her staring out at the ocean, as if she was seeing something he couldn’t.

  Tamaki was about to call out to her, but thought better of it and decided to just wait. A breeze drifted through the air, and though it was warm, she shivered, folding her arms across her chest and hugging herself.

  Tamaki reached out and grabbed her by the hand, jerking her out of her thoughts and bringing her back. She slowly turned around and looked at him. He said nothing but smiled reassuringly at her. After a slight pause, she laughed and pushed a lock of hair away, smiling back at him.

  He didn’t know why she was so upset, what was troubling her so much she felt the need to hide it, but he was determined to find out and help her.

  Bunny didn’t let go of Tamaki’s hand as they walked back. Holding on to him made her feel calmer, more secure. It was a feeling she had missed, so she wasn’t about to just get rid of it.

  Tamaki didn’t mind. In fact, it was going along _almost_ according to plan. Walking together on the beach, the sun making their golden locks glisten… He only needed to say one thing to complete this scene.

  “Bunny,” he said, his voice low, but full of caring compassion. “I know we just met, and may not know each other very well, but I hope that one day you’ll be able to think of me as a dear friend, as family, maybe even, one day, as… a father.” Bunny stopped in her tracks. She slowly looked up at him, her expression blank.

  “What….” She took another moment to gather her thoughts. “What makes you think I need another father?”

  “Umm, uh…” Tamaki was having trouble gauging Bunny’s reaction. She seemed calm, but he didn’t know if she would explode like Haruhi does sometimes. “Uh, nothing, I’m sure the father you have now is wonderful—“

  “Yeah, he’s the greatest.” She smiled to herself as she thought of him. “He doesn’t try too hard to be cool, he just _is_. He always does what’s best for the family, even if it means passing up a few of life’s luxuries. He’s so self-sacrificing.” Her tone was one of admiration and love. Tamaki smiled.

  “I meant no offense, Bunny.”

  “And none was taken.” They both smiled and they were silent for a moment.

  “So, about this ‘family’ business,” said Bunny. Tamaki perked up hopefully. If he had a tail, it would have been wagging. “I’m sorry that I can’t be your daughter.” Tamaki drooped a little. “But I’ve always wanted an older brother….”

  “Then I adopt you as my younger sister!!!” Tamaki exclaimed, not giving her a chance to finish. Bunny was a little shocked by his outburst.

_I shouldn’t be though,_ she thought in exasperation. _Haruhi was always talking about how hyper these guys are, **especially** Tamaki._

  But Bunny knew that this was one of the many things that made the Host Club so endearing.

  Tamaki had been hugging Bunny and cooing over her during her thinking. She was beginning to get so used to it she hadn’t even noticed when he started it.

  “Um, Tamaki?” she said shyly. Tamaki stopped and straightened up.

  “Yes, Bunny? What is it?” Bunny looked down at the ground, obviously embarrassed by what she was about to say.

  “Um, do you mind, um, giving me a piggyback ride? You see, I don’t like sand, and I’m afraid it’s gonna get in my shoes, and—“

  “Oh, Bunny!!!” Tamaki scooped her up and began rubbing his head on hers again. “You have no idea how happy you just made Daddy—I mean, Big Brother!!!” He had tears leaking out of his eyes. Bunny thought a giggle would be appropriate. Tamaki wiped his eyes and lowered himself.

  “Okay, hop on.” She did, and Tamaki giggled to himself.

  Whenever he thought of her, she had bunny ears and a tail. Seeing her literally hop just made it funnier.

  Bunny heard his giggle but decided to ignore it. Only God knew what was going on inside that boy’s head.

  “I’m sorry I ruined this,” Bunny said. “I—I just can’t face going to the beach, not after—“ She stopped herself. She struggled with herself, trying to find the words.

  “Don’t worry about it, Bunny,” Tamaki said, smiling gently. “Whatever it is, I know you’ll tell me when you’re ready. It’s okay if you don’t fully trust me yet.”

  Bunny was shocked. She didn’t expect him to be so… understanding.

  “Okay, so what do you wanna do next?”

  “Hmm…. I don’t know…” Bunny drummed on her chin as she thought. “Well, there was _one_ place I wanted to go to today, butI don’t think such high class guys like youself would like to go…”

  Tamaki gasped.

  “Do you mean, the—“

  “Commoner’s market.”

  No words could express Tamaki’s joy, but his speed definitely could. He zoomed past the twins, who were doing something suspicious in the sand, past Honey and Mori, knocking over Honey’s carefully crafted sandcastle; and past Kyoya, making the pages flip rapidly in his notebook, much to his displeasure.

  “To the commoner’s market, please!” Tamaki said to the chauffeur. The man nodded and drove off.

  “Um, Tamaki?” Bunny said sheepishly. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

  “Huh?” He looked around, oblivious.

  Back at the beach, Kyoya pushed his glasses up with a sigh.

  “That big idiot,” he muttered to himself as he pulled out his phone to call his limo. Hikaru and Kaoru stared at the quickly disappearing vehicle in disbelief.

  “I can’t believe it,” said Hikaru.

  “They forgot us,” said Kaoru.

  Honey giggled.

  “I guess it _really_ stings Hika-chan and Kao-chan, huh, Takashi?”

  Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged confused looks at what Honey said. Then it dawned on them.

  “HEY, THAT’S _OUR_ LIMO!!!” they screamed, desperately running after the car. They stopped after only a few seconds though, already hot and tired. A second limo pulled up beside them.

  Kyoya rolled down the window, an evil smirk on his face.

  “Get in. We’ll catch them.”

  “Yayyyyy!!!” said Honey as they drove off in hot pursuit of the stolen Hitachiin limo.

  “Tamaki? Taamakiii.” Bunny waved a hand in front of Tamaki’s face.

  “Huh? Oh.” He snapped out his daze. “Yes, what is it?”

  “Tamaki, you left the other guys back at the beach.”

  “Uh, wha--?” He quickly looked around again, smacking himself in the face when he realized that it was true; only he and Bunny were in the limo, aside from the driver.

  “Is this even your car?”

  “Uh, no…” Bunny rolled her eyes.

_Good job, Tamaki. I guess he used all of his brain cells earlier._ When Tamaki wasn’t looking, Bunny allowed a giggle to escape from her lips.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one, so expect another update tonight!

  “Haruhi, I’m going to the store for a bit. Do you want anything?”

  Haruhi looked up from a photo album.

  “No, I’m good,” she said, smiling at Bunny’s dad, Joe.

  “Okay, I’ll be back soon, kiddo.”

  Haruhi picked up a different book to look through when he left. The title of the book read “Spring Break – 2010.” Haruhi smiled, seeing how happy Bunny was in one picture. Joe held his children in his arms, Bunny and Peter standing side-by-side. Peter was small, even for a ten year-old. His head only barely came up to Bunny’s shoulder. He had sandy blonde hair and large blue eyes. He was grinning happily up at his sister. Bunny was just simply happy.

  Haruhi looked closer at Peter’s picture, her eyes widening in surprise.

 _Wow_ , Haruhi thought _. Honey-senpai looks just like Peter._ The only differences in their appearances were their eye colors: Peter’s eyes were a deep blue, whereas Honey’s were like chocolate. Haruhi briefly wondered how Bunny and Honey were getting along before turning the page. There were more pictures of Peter and Bunny: in the car (Haruhi assumed it was from travelling to their destination), at an amusement park, the aquarium…. Each picture made Haruhi smile in a different way. She laughed when she saw the siblings imitating a puffer fish and felt a kind of warmth when she saw a picture of a sleeping Peter being given a piggyback ride by his father. Bunny must have been taking the picture because she wasn’t in it.

  The rest of the album was filled with pictures of their beach house and the surrounding area. Haruhi flipped to the last page.

  It was blank, but there were a few bits of glue left behind, as if someone had taken out the picture.

_I wonder what it was…_

  The front door opened and Bunny’s father was back, grocery bags in hand.

  “Hey, whatcha looking at?” he asked, curious. Haruhi held up the photo album. Joe set down the bags and sat down next to her on the couch. Haruhi gave him the large book. He flipped through it, smiling.

  “These are some good memories,” he murmured, smiling softly.  His smile faded when he turned to the last page, his eyes taking in the missing picture. He touched the pieces of glue lightly.

  “It was Bunny’s favorite,” he said softly. “She must have taken it with her.”

  “Joe,” Haruhi said hesitantly. “Bunny's not doing very well, is she?”

  Joe shut the book and leaned his head back on the couch, closing his eyes. He sighed before answering her.

  “No, Haruhi, I don't think she is. Despite their age difference, they were extremely close. Bunny helped me look after Peter after their mother left. She really stepped up and took a lot of responsibility, did a lot of growing up. Sometimes it felt as though Bunny thought of Peter as her child in addition to as her brother.” He cleared his throat, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.

  “When Peter died, a part of Bunny was lost too.” 


	8. Chapter 8

  "Um, Tamaki," said Bunny. "Is all of this really necessary?" Her blue eyes were wide with shock as she helped Tamaki unload the shopping cart at the register.

  "Oh yes, every bit!" he replied excitedly. "We're going to have a picnic!" His eyes sparkled as he spoke, a grin spreading across his face.

  "Oh, really?" Tamaki's excitement was contagious. "When is it?"

  "I was thinking today would be perfect," Tamaki enthused as he paid for his vast amount of goods.

  "Perfect for what?" Bunny and Tamaki turned around to see Kyoya standing behind them, accompanied by the rest of the club.

  "Oh, Tamaki's planning a picnic," Bunny responded brightly. She stumbled from the weight of the numerous bags she was carrying.

  "Oh, Bunny, let us help you with those," said Kaoru.

  "Yes, it would be quite rude if we didn't," said Hikaru.

  "I wanna help Bunny-chan!" said Honey. He gave Usa-chan to Mori and rushed over to Bunny.

  "Wait, wait! I can carry more bags!" said Tamaki frantically. He also rushed over to Bunny, who was quickly becoming overwhelmed.

  "Guys, I need some space!" she shouted. They were so busy arguing over who got how many bags they didn't hear her. "Gah, Mori! A little help here please?!"

  Mori grunted and switched to protective mode. He swiftly picked Bunny up with one hand by the back of her shirt and carried her back to safety. The fussing stopped immediately. The four boys stared at Bunny and Mori, who just stared back.

  "Um, Mori?"

  "Mm?"

  "Um, I kinda miss having my feet on the ground..." He turned a light shade of pink as he gently set her down. She slowly edged over back to Tamaki, staring at her feet.

  Kyoya cleared his throat, demanding their attention.

  "So, what is this about a picnic?" he asked, pushing his glasses up.

  "I wanted to have a picnic to celebrate!" said Tamaki, throwing his arms into the air joyously.

  "To celebrate what?" _I dare ask_ , Kyoya thought silently.

  "To celebrate my adoption of Bunny as my little sister!!!" Tamaki flung himself at Bunny, cooing over her. Bunny felt that dreaded crimson blush creep up her face.

 _So that's what this is all about,_ she thought dryly. She quickly tried to change Tamaki's mind.

  "Oh, um, that's not really necessary," she said. "I mean, there's no need to make a big deal out of it. It's not that important." She looked up after she finished speaking. "Huh? Where'd he go?" Hikaru and Kaoru pointed; he was in his emo corner.

  "How could you say it's not important?" he muttered. "Do you think I'm not important?"

  "No, no, it's not that," Bunny said frantically, waving her hands in protest.

  "Ya know, Bunny," said Hikaru.

  "It wouldn't hurt to let Tamaki-senpai fuss over you for a bit," said Kaoru.

  "Yeah, 'cause Haru-chan _never_ lets Tama-chan do it," said Honey. He looked up at Bunny with his big brown eyes and smiled, squeezing Usa-chan. "I think you should let Tama-chan fuss over you, 'kay?"

  How could she resist? She sighed and went to Tamaki, but not before she stuck her tongue out at the twins. They did it back to her, laughing.

  "Um, Tamaki?" He was busy cultivating mushrooms and didn't seem to hear her. She poked his shoulder a few times.

  Tamaki slowly turned his head to look at her.

  "Pic...nic?" he whimpered weakly. Bunny nodded and Tamaki sprang to his feet, instantly revived.

  "Okay, we'll take you back to Haruhi's home so you can change and then pick you back up later."

  "What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?" Bunny asked. "It's just a picnic." They all laughed with an air that could only belong to the wealthy.

  "Exactly, Bunny!" Tamaki told her, placing an arm around her shoulder. "One must dress nicely for such an occasion." Bunny suddenly felt very self-conscious, looking down at her plain outfit.

  "But I didn't really pack anything fancy..." Tamaki didn't let it faze him.

  "Okay, then you'll go home with Hikaru and Kaoru--" the twins exchanged smirks, which made Tamaki change his mind. "On second thought, I think you should go with Honey--"

  "Oh, come one, Boss," said Hikaru.

  "We won't do anything to her," said Kaoru, exasperated.

  “We’ll just help her change,” Hikaru said with a suggestive wink. Bunny turned red.

  “Um, no, I’m pretty sure I can do that myself,” she said quickly.

_*Later, at the Hitachiin Mansion*_

 

  “You see, our mother is _very_ popular designer,” said Hikaru to Bunny. He and Kaoru were walking Bunny down an enormous hallway. “So it’s doubtless that we won’t be able to find _something_ for you.”

  “Hey, let’s get something straight right now,” Bunny said, stopping them. “I am _not_ your Barbie doll. We’re going in, picking something out, and leaving.”

  “Okay, okay,” said Kaoru.

  “You only have to try on what you like,” said Hikaru. “Deal?”

  “Deal.” She shook their hands, feeling satisfied.

  They finally stopped at room. The twins pushed open the magnificent double doors, allowing a blinding light to flood the hallway. Bunny raised a hand to block the brightness, but it soon fell away with shock.

  Bunny gasped.

  The room was twice as large as her living room and was filled, wall to wall, with racks of clothes that seemed to glow in the dazzling lights. Mirrors that reached the ceiling were at the back of the room so a 360 degree view could be achieved. Bunny hesitantly walked in, her eyes wide, taking it all in.

  Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged smug smirks. They pushed a button on the wall and the walls opened up to reveal closets hiding a plethora of shoes.

  A squeak of joy escaped from Bunny’s mouth.

  “Remember,” said Hikaru. “You only have to try on…”

  “What you like,” finished Kaoru. Bunny was too stunned to respond.

  “Come this way,” they said, each grabbing one of her arms. “The newest collection is right this way…”

  Bunny tried to resist, but couldn’t. She was too overwhelmed by the gorgeous clothes surrounding her. The twins sat her down in a chair and pulled outfit after outfit from the racks, critically looking over each one, but would decide that whatever one they were holding wasn’t worthy of Bunny and placed it back. This went on for quite a while.

  Bunny regained the strength in her legs and decided to explore a bit in the room. Frills, lace, and even sequins were all around her as she pushed through the fabric forest. She caught sight of a dress and moved toward it, pushing a sequined scarf out of her face. She took another step toward it and promptly tripped over a stray shoe.

  “Stupid,” she muttered, pushing herself up. As she looked up, she saw the dress right in front of her.

  It was the color of sweet cream and made out of some kind of airy material that made it appear as if it were floating, even though it was completely motionless. The fabric was draped on the bodice into a sweetheart neckline with crystals of some sort adorning the waist. Upon a closer look, she discovered that the crystals were embedded in delicate metallic flowers. The fabric flowed up and over the shoulders for sleeves and then back down to complete the dress.

  “Bunny, where are you?” Bunny flinched and re-joined the twins.

  “I’m here,” she said, still slightly dazed. They held up a light pink dress. The sleeves were bell shaped and rested delicately on the shoulders. The neckline was square-cut with lace details. A deep purple ribbon accentuated the waist and tied at back into a bow. The length was that of a party dress.

  “Hmm…” Bunny tilted her head to the side. She pushed the vision of the other dress form her mind. This dress wasn’t that bad at all.

  She took it and, going into a dressing room the twins pointed out, tired it on.

  She especially liked the bow. She stepped out of the dressing room to the applause of the twins.

  “It looks great!” said Hikaru.

  “Pink is a really good color on you, Bunny,” said Kaoru. Bunny turned that same color.

  “Thank you,” she said shyly.

  “Okay, now for hair and make-up.”

  “What?!”

  Back in his home, Tamaki paced in his room. He stopped in front of the mirror and checked his reflection for the tenth time, straightening his tie.

  “Shima? Is everything set?” The Second Mansion Head Usher appeared.

  “Yes, Tamaki-sama. The table is set, the food is prepared, and the canopy has been raised. We are now awaiting the arrival of your guests.” Tamaki smiled, feeling a slight relief.

  “Thank you, Shima.” _Now all I have to worry about is why they aren’t here yet._ As soon as he thought this the doorbell rang. Tamaki’s servants opened the doors and in came the rest of the club, plus Bunny. Her hair had been pulled up into a high ponytail with a large purple bow. A few curled strands framed her face.

  “Bunny-chan looks _really_ cute, doesn’t she, Tama-chan?” Honey asked excitedly.

  “She does!” replied Tamaki, just as excited. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the rest of the group and outside to the garden. “Come, on, Bunny!”

  Shima sighed. “I apologize for the Young Master’s manners,” she said, an air of exasperation leaking into her voice.

  “No apology is need, Shima,” Kyoya assured her. “We’ve known him long enough to expect this sort of behavior.”

  “Nevertheless, when the picnic is over, I’m going to give him extra lessons in etiquette.” Kyoya chuckled as Shima led them to the outside garden.

 


	9. Chapter 9

“See, Bunny, see?” Tamaki gestured excitedly to the beautifully vast garden. A table, set for eight with beautiful fine china(made of the finest gold-rimmed porcelain) and lavishly decorated with centerpieces made of fresh white roses and unlit candles, was covered with a delicate tablecloth that fluttered in the breeze underneath the airy canopy that had been set up. The sun reflected off of the magnificent chandelier (that had somehow been attached to the canopy) and cast rainbows down upon them. Some of Tamaki’s servants were playing as a string quartet, just to add that extra touch of elegance. Bunny decided to not comment on how the picnic was so unlike a picnic.

“Why is there an extra place set?” She asked as Tamaki pulled her chair out for her.

“It’s for Usa-chan!” Honey said brightly.

“Oh, of course,” Bunny said with a smile.

Once they were all seated, Tamaki’s servants brought out the food and they began to eat.

“So, Bunny, what do you think? Is this a good picnic?” Tamaki asked excitedly.

Before she answered, Bunny imagined what a picnic usually was back home: a large, brightly colored blanket spread out on a grassy hill or bit of land; home cooked meals that consisted of things like fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and blueberry cobbler served on paper plates and cans of soda. A Frisbee was usually tucked away in the basket, along with a book or two.

Then Bunny looked back at what was around her.

“Uh, well…”

Tamaki’s eyes glittered expectantly.

Kyoya smirked, hiding his amusement behind the mysterious sheen of his glasses.

Hikaru and Kaoru grinned at each other, then at Bunny.

Mori chewed with contentment, and Honey smiled at Bunny, a smudge of cake icing on his cheek.

“It is… unlike any picnic I’ve ever been to.”

It was as if fireworks were lit inside Tamaki. He was overjoyed beyond words.

While he was in the process of coddling a very disgruntled Bunny, Kyoya checked his watch.

“I hate to break this up,” he said, his voice obviously stating the opposite, “but it’s beginning to get a bit late. We would hate to have Bunny in trouble with her host father.”

Tamaki was reluctant to relinquish his iron grip on Bunny, but Daddy always listens to Mommy.

                                                           

                                                                                                                        ***

 

Feeling much more comfortable in her own clothes and very sleepy due to a full tummy, Bunny was glad to be going back to the apartment. Secretly, she was also sad to be leaving the Host Club (she was hesitant to call them friends yet), but she wasn’t going to tell them that.

But she couldn’t go to bed just yet. The entire Host Club insisted on escorting her back, and was waiting as she searched her pockets for the key. A sinking feeling crept into her stomach as she checked her pockets again, not finding it the first time.

“Uh… I can’t find my key.” A wave of exasperation went through the group.

“This wouldn’t have happened it Haruhi was here,” Hikaru muttered to Kaoru. Tamaki elbowed him sharply in the ribs.

“Maybe the landlady has a spare,” Bunny said hopefully.

“Can I help you?” A woman suddenly appeared, seemingly out of thin air. She looked at Bunny’s shocked face and laughed. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Oh no, it’s fine,” laughed Bunny. “Ah, I seem to have lost my key.”

“Oh! You’re the Fujioka’s guest, aren’t you?” She and Bunny shook hands. “I’m Mrs. Takahata, the landlady.”

“I’m Bunny.”

“Oh, what a cute name!” Bunny’s cheeks turned pink.

“Thank you. But, um… the key?”

“Oh! Yes, the key. I do have a spare.”

“…Can I borrow it?”

“No.”

She continued before Bunny had time to respond.

“Mr. Fujioka requested that I don’t let you have it; he came back while you were away. He took a lot of luggage with him, but he left this for you.” Mrs. Takahata pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to Bunny. It was a letter.

 _‘Dear Bunny,’_ it read.

_‘If you’re reading this, then Mizuzu-chi and I were accepted into the Mr. Mom Beauty pageant. There was such a small chance of us getting in that I didn’t say anything to you or Haruhi. Don’t worry though – you’re not homeless ;) I had something arranged with Kyoya in case we were able to go to the pageant. I left all of your bags and other things with Mrs. Takahata. Wish us luck!_

_Love, Ranka-papa & Mizuzu-chi.’_

Bunny tried to say something, but not a sound would come out.

“Bunny? What does it say?” Tamaki tried to take a peek at the letter, but she had an iron grip on it. She stared blankly at Kyoya, holding out the letter to him. Eyebrows raised, he gently took it from her (although he had to tug on it a bit). As he read, his eyebrows sink down lower and lower. When he finished, he sighed deeply with great agitation and rubbed his eyes.

“I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this,” he sighed, flipping open his cell phone and dialing a number with lightening speed. “No offense, Bunny,” he said over his shoulder.

“None taken,” she said quietly. She leaned against the wall and slowly slid down to the floor. Kyoya handed the letter back to her. She made a futile attempt to smile, but gave up.

“Bunny-chan,” asked a concerned Honey, “are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just… frustrated.” The word fit perfectly as she dropped her face into a frown and propped her head up on her hand.

Kyoya snapped his phone shut.

“Bunny, my family’s car is on the way to take us to my home now.”

“C’mon, Takashi, let’s get Bunny’s stuff for her.”

“Mm.”

They left with Mrs. Takahata.

“Bunny, we still need to do more bonding!” Tamaki wailed, clinging to Bunny like a child. “Why can’t you come stay with meeeee?”

Bunny secretly wondered the same thing. True, Tamaki was incredibly foolish, and a bit obnoxious, but it would be less awkward than staying with Kyoya.

 _Besides,_ Bunny thought, _Kyoya just plain scares me._ She didn’t act like it, but that’s because you _have_ to hide it.

 _I bet he can_ smell _fear,_ she thought with a shudder. She meekly peeked at him through her bangs.

The light created a glare on his glasses that hid his eyes, which didn’t help. His jaw was set – clenched in… anger? Frustration, perhaps? Either way, it scared Bunny enough to _really_ want to stay with Tamaki.

“Haruhi and her father entrusted Bunny to _my_ care, which is why she’s staying with _me_. I _had_ hoped it wouldn’t come to this, though. No offense,” he said nonchalantly to Bunny, again.

“None taken,” she replied, again.

All too soon, it seemed, one of the Ootori family’s limos pulled up outside the apartment complex. With no effort at all, Honey and Mori loaded Bunny’s bags and things into the car. Kyoya raised an eyebrow at the amount of bags she had brought from America, and then gave her a look. Bunny rolled her eyes.

 _Well, I_ am _living here for a little while. Besides, it’s not like_ you _have any room to talk._

They quickly said their goodbyes (before Tamaki could unnecessarily drag it out any longer) and were prepared to leave when Bunny realized she needed one more thing.

“Mrs. Takahata, did Ranka happen to leave a phone number, or mailing address?”

“Oh, yes! Sorry dear, I almost forgot.” She fished a piece of paper out of her pocket and gave it to the young girl. “Now, there’s a cell phone number, there’s an e-mail address, and here’s one you can send packages and things to. Tell him good luck for me!”

“Thank you, ma’am, I will!”

Once they were in the limo and on their way to Bunny’s next temporary home, Bunny let out a sigh that managed to make her bangs dance.

“Do you really find staying with me _that_ discouraging?”

Bunny jumped when Kyoya spoke. Although there was amusement in his voice, and he was smiling at her, Bunny still wasn’t sure of how much trust she should put into it. Yes, Haruhi had told her that she was a pretty trustworthy guy, but Bunny was sure that she meant financially.

“Ah, no, of course not,” she said, smiling perkily.

_Please don’t kill me in my sleep._

 


	10. Chapter 10

When they arrived at the Ootori’s mansion, Kyoya introduced Bunny to a maid who would show her to her room.

“Master Kyoya, your father would like to see you in his office,” said an official, older looking man. Bunny assumed that he was the head of house, like Shima was at Tamaki’s.

“Thank you, Honda,” Kyoya said. He turned to Bunny. “I’m sorry to leave you, but I really should see him.”

“Oh, it’s no problem!” Bunny said, smiling brightly.

“Please, make yourself at home until I return,” he said with a smile.

“Will do!” She gave a salute, which felt much more awkward than it looked, and he left, chuckling quietly.

“Miss?” The quiet maid said to Bunny.

“Oh, yes?”

“I’ll take you to your room now, if you’re ready.”

“I am, thank you.”

The maid giggled. “You don’t have to thank me, it’s my job.”

“Oh… So it is.” Bunny giggled to. She bent to grab her bags, but a few more servants appeared.

“No, Miss, let us.”

“Okay,” she said with a smile.

 

***

 

In the guest room she was staying in, Bunny appeared to be asleep on the bed. She opened her eyes reluctantly, as if she didn’t want it to be true, for anything to be true. With a sigh she pulled a small photograph out of her back pocket and unfolded it with the utmost care. She had lost track of time and was starting to get misty-eyed when there was a knock on the door. She fumbled to put the picture back before opening the door to reveal Kyoya and his father, Yushio Ootori.

“Oh! H-hello,” Bunny stammered, blushing as she bowed to him. She felt awkward doing so, but didn’t want to be rude.

“Hello, Bunny. It’s nice to make your acquaintance,” he slowly said in English. He held his hand out for her to shake. “I assume you are more comfortable with this style greeting?” 

“Yes, sir,” she said with a smile. “I’m so sorry; I’m still having some culture shock. You speak English very well.”

“And you speak Japanese very well,” he replied, also smiling. Bunny was freaked; it was the same placid smile that Kyoya gave, with a shadowy air lurking beneath. “How are you enjoying Japan so far?”

“Well, I have been here before, with Fujioka Haruhi, but this time I’m alone.”

“Oh, you’re an acquaintance ofHaruhi’s?”

“Yes, we’re very good friends. We’ve written letters to each other since we were thirteen,” she said with a smile.

“That sounds wonderful. Would you care to take a stroll with us? A little “tour”, perhaps?”

“Oh, I’d like that very much!” But inside, Bunny just really wanted to curl up and die. She didn’t think she could be more frightened of someone other than Kyoya, and then she met his father.

After what felt like hours, the “tour” finally came to an end.

“Bunny, how do you like our home?” Yoshio asked her.

“Oh, it’s just beautiful,” Bunny said.

“Thank you. But I’ve been thinking,” he said, speaking to both of the teenagers,  “why don’t you and your friends stay in our beach villa for the remainder of your time here?”.

Bunny panicked. She couldn’t be rude and refuse, especially since he was being kind enough to allow her to stay on his estate. But a _beach_ villa? Really? She was beginning to feel like the fates were completely against her. She needed to answer soon; if she waited too long it _would_ seem rude.

“That sounds wonderful,” she said quickly, using his words. “I don’t want to be a bother though; I mean, you’re already being such a gracious host by allowing me to stay in your home, I couldn’t possibly impose on you more.”

“It’s not a bother at all,” Yoshio assured her. “We like to be able to visit the villa so dust doesn’t collect, but Kyoya is currently the only one in the family that has a free schedule. It wouldn’t be very enjoyable for either of you if you were to spend the summer holiday copped up here. There’s not much to do in this area, but the beach is just brimming with activities. There wouldn’t be a dull moment.”

It finally dawned on Bunny what was going on.

“ _Oh!_ I mean; oh, well, if you insist.” She smiled brightly. “Thank you very much!”

Yoshio also smiled.

“Since you haven’t unpacked yet, you’re welcome to leave as soon as Kyoya is finished packing.

“Thank you so much, again,” she said with a small giggle. “It was nice to meet you.”

“It was nice to meet you too.” He smiled. They bowed to each other and he left.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me--” Kyoya also turned to leave, but Bunny stopped him.

“Ah- wait. Can I… can I come with you?”

Kyoya raised his eyebrows.

“I’m just going to pack.”

“I know, I just… I just don’t want to be alone.” Her hands were balled into fists, gripping the edge of her shirt. As she spoke she looked steadily at the floor, her cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment.

Kyoya surmised that if she was with him, he wouldn’t have to send for her when he finished.

“Okay then,” he said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. “But don’t. Touch. _Anything_.”

“Okay!” Bunny looked up to see Kyoya already a few yards in front of her. She squeaked and ran ahead to catch up with him, not wanting to get lost in the huge mansion.

 

***

 

As he filled a bag with clothes, Bunny looked around, taking a seat by the window.

Everything was very neat and clean-looking. The room was obviously never expecting any guests and was for Kyoya’s personal use; there were countless books and notebooks (there was nothing written on their spines, but Kyoya knew what was inside), his laptop on his desk, and dressers filled with his clothes. The room was intended for him and only him. It was nice, but it struck her as… lonely. Bunny was surprised that there was even the spare chair she was sitting in.

As she was looking at one of the dressers, she noticed that there were framed pictures displayed on it. Though she could tell they were of people, she couldn’t quite see who it was. She wanted to get a closer look, but she didn’t dare to while Kyoya was right there.

Kyoya zipped up his suitcase and walked into his bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Bunny stared at the door for a moment, and then bolted to the dresser.

They were family portraits.

 _Okay…_ not _what I expected._ She wasn’t sure what she _did_ expect. Kyoya just really doesn’t seem like the family type. They were mostly of the men of the family, but one in the very back caught her eye. The dresser was tall, almost too tall, but Bunny was able to _just_ reach it. She thought she would have to blow some dust off of the picture, but to her surprise it was cleaner than the photographs in the front.

It was of Tamaki and Kyoya. Tamaki was excitedly holding a statue in one arm and hugging Kyoya with the other, grinning like a fool. Kyoya was frowning in annoyance, but Bunny wondered if he was secretly enjoying himself. She then remembered it was Kyoya and pushed the thought out of her head.

“Ahem.”

Kyoya was back in the room, staring pointedly at her.

_Don’t. Touch. Anything._

Bunny jumped and quickly put the photograph back down, clasping her hands together.

“I’m ready to go,” Kyoya said. “Are you finished with your investigation?”

“I wasn’t- I- I was just-” Bunny sighed. “I’ll go wait with a maid.”

Kyoya rolled his eyes and, on his way out, stopped to see which pictures Bunny had been looking at.

He smirked.

“What an idiot,” he said to himself, thinking of Tamaki. “This is going to be an interesting ‘vacation.’” Kyoya’s mind began to wander; he thought of the last time they all went to the beach, when Haruhi was with them, what happened in his room, or rather, what _almost_ happened…

Bunny poked her head back in the doorway.

“Kyoya?”

Her voice broke his train of thought.

“Yes?”

“The limo’s ready if you are.”

“Then let’s go.”

 _Yes, this will be quite interesting,_ he thought to himself, pushing his glasses.

 


	11. Chapter 11

Naturally, they were the first to get there. Kyoya showed Bunny where the rooms were and let her choose one, then went to his, closing the door behind him.

        Bunny didn’t take long to decide. Her room had a king sized bed near the large bay window. A phone rested on the bedside table. Curious, Bunny picked up the receiver.

        It clicked, as it someone was on the line.

        “…Hello?” Bunny said hesitantly.

        “Hello! Is there anything you need?”

        Bunny jumped. She didn’t think anyone would be there to actually answer.

        “Um, who is this?”

        “This is the servant’s quarters downstairs. If you should need anything, Miss, just pick up the phone and one of us will be here. Is that all?”

        “Oh—I mean, yes, I’m fine. Sorry for wasting your time.” Bunny facepalmed.

        “It’s okay, Miss. That’s what we’re here for.” The girl hung up and all Bunny could hear was the dial-tone.

        “O-kayyyy…” Bunny put the receiver back on its charger.

        Still slightly confused, she put her bags on her bed and started to fill the armoire and dresser. She was about to put some things in the bathroom when there was a knock on the open door.

        “Bunny-chaaan!” Honey cam e flying into the room, attaching himself to Bunny like moss on a tree, albeit a very short tree. Maybe more like a shrub.

        “Hi, Honey!” She was extremely happy to see him. “Where’s Mori?” She asked, knowing he couldn’t be too far behind.

        “Takashi is bringing our bags in. I wanted to hurry up and see you, so I ran ahead!” Bunny laughed and hugged him again, before she finished what she had been doing.

        “That was pretty quick,” she commented. “I didn’t think you would have gotten here so fast.”

        “Well, when you’re rich, time is nothing,” said a new voice.

        “Hey, Tamaki,” Bunny said purposefully calm. He seemed to deflate at her lack of excitement.

        “Bunny, you should be happy to see your older brother!”

        “I _am_ happy, but please excuse my lack of… zest. Maybe I’d be as hyper as you if you were actually my brother.”

        “Tama-chan, maybe people would appreciate your mushroom cultivating if they were edible,” Honey said as Tamaki busily cultivated the ‘shrooms in the corner. Tamaki slowly turned and stared blankly at Honey. Bunny slowly backed out of the room.

        “I, uh… I have some more things to get. I’ll be _right_ back.” Bunny quickly dashed down the hallway before Tamaki could decide to help her. She was lying about getting her things; she already had them all put where they needed to go: toothbrush in the bathroom, letters from Haruhi in the desk, stationary _on_ the desk, Bernard was—Bernard was…

        Bunny stopped. She couldn’t remember where she put Bernard. Actually, she couldn’t even remember unpacking him…

        “Oh my gosh!” she said, extremely alarmed.  “I forgot Bernard!!” Her leisurely stroll turned into a mad dash to get to Kyoya’s limo before it left.

        “ _He has to be in there_ ,” she thought anxiously. “I _didn’t leave him anywhere else_!”

        She tore down the hall like a hurricane. Hikaru and Kaoru had arrived and were moving into their room.

        “Hey, Bunny—“

        She zoomed past them like she didn’t hear a thing. The twins shared a look of confusion, then decided that they didn’t care and went into their room.

        Bunny almost tripped over a rug, but luckily Mori was there. He caught her around the waist, steadying her, then set her back on her feet.

        “Thanks!” she said over her shoulder.

        “Mm.”

        As she reached the stairs leading outside, she could hear the limo starting to leave.

        “No! Nononononono NO!” She took the steps two at a time, and because she was focusing on not tripping again, she didn’t see Kyoya a few steps down and promptly plowed right into him.

        Thankfully, they were only a few steps away from the bottom, so no serious physical damage was done.

        Piled on top of each other, they groaned in pain.

        “I’m sorry,” Bunny groaned. She landed on the hard marble floor, and her head was throbbing. Blinking away the pain, her eyes slowly focusing on who she had run into.

        Her cheeks turned redder than they had ever been when she realized who it was, and that he was on top of her. She couldn’t help it—she let out an embarrassingly shocked squeak.

        “I—I—I—“ She covered her face with her hands. Kyoya had already gotten up, dusted himself off, and straightened his glasses in annoyance as Bunny tried to stutter an apology. She wasn’t able to get it out until she stopped and took a deep breath.

“Kyoya,I’msosorryIranintoyouitwasanaccidentIdidn’tseeyouIshouldhavebeenmorecarefulIforgotsomethinginthelimoandIwastryingtocatchitbeforeitleftand—“

        “Ah, so this must be yours,” Kyoya said, interrupting Bunny as she briefly paused to catch her breath. He picked up a huge tan teddy bear with a pink scarf around its neck.

        “Bernard!” She threw her arms around the three-foot-tall stuffed animal, gasping with joy. “Thank you!” she said, her moment of clumsiness temporarily forgotten.

        “As I was speaking with the driver he found it where the rest of the luggage was. It certainly didn’t belong to me or my family, so it had to be yours.”

        The idea of Kyoya owning any kind of stuffed animal, especially Bernard, was enough to make Bunny laugh out loud.  She quickly stopped when she saw his expression.

        “Well, um, thank you, and I’m _really_ sorry I ran into you. And made you fall. And—“ Kyoya shot her another look and she shut up.

        “I don’t know what time you normally eat dinner, but by six Tamaki will be ready to eat. Please let me know before then what you would like, and if you would rather stay on or go out.”

        “Um, okay.”

        “I’ll be in my room until then.”

        “Okay.”

        Bunny was sure to watch her step _and_ what was in front of her this time, although she did have a bit of trouble, due to Bernard’s size. When she got to her room, she wasn’t all that surprised to see Honey there, waiting for her.

        “Oh, hi Honey.”

        “Bunny, why did you pick the room farthest from the beach?”

        The bluntness of his question shocked her. She tried to play it cool. “I did? Oh, I hadn’t noticed.” She placed Bernard on the bed and started playing with his scarf to avoid Honey’s stare.

        “Bunny, please remember that I’m not as young or easily fooled as I look,” Honey said with complete seriousness. “I hope you’ll realize that you can trust me and talk to me when you need to.”

        Bunny stared at him, wide-eyed. _That’s right_ , she thought. _He’s actually_ older _than me_.

        “Sorry Honey,” she said with a laugh. “I guess I just forget.”

        “It’s okay, Bunny-chan!” Honey said brightly. “But I really do hope you’ll tell me what’s wrong, ‘kay?”

        “Okay,” she said, laughing again.

***

        Sure enough, at a quarter ‘til six Tamaki began to complain of hunger. Bunny didn’t care where she ate; as long as she got food she was fine, but Tamaki hinted that there was a restaurant he wanted to go to. When Bunny told Kyoya, he sighed and rolled his eyes.

        “He probably wants to go to a place that commoners frequent.”

        Bunny couldn’t quite tell what Kyoya meant. Were they going? Or was he actually putting his foot down?

        Kyoya stood up. “Go get ready if you need to. I’m going to find out where exactly it is that Tamaki wants to go.” Bunny laughed quietly to herself as she left his room and went to her own.

        “Ooh, what was Bunny doing in Kyoya’s room?” The twins were randomly lounging in the hallway.

        “Nothing like _you’re_ thinking,” she replied, rolling her eyes.  The twins smirked at each other and began to follow her.

        “Oh really? What _were_ we thinking?”

        “No doubt something perverted.” Bunny opened the armoire in her room and began to look through her clothes. She didn’t think there was anything wrong with what she was wearing, but Kyoya’s comment had made her feel self-conscious. They seemed to have a habit of doing that.

        She wasn’t quite sure of what to change into. The suggestion that she _needed_ to was enough to enough to make her think she was under-dressed, but since Kyoya seems to think they’ll be going to a “commoner’s” restaurant, she didn’t want to _over_ -dress. The twins had begun to look through her clothes as well, but didn’t seem to be too impressed.

        “At least she has better than Haruhi,” Hikaru muttered to Kaoru, who nodded in agreement.

        “You know what?!” Bunny suddenly exclaimed. She stopped leafing through her clothes with a huff. “I have had _enough_ of changing my clothes for one day. If Kyoya’s right—and let’s face it, when isn’t he—then where we’re going doesn’t even require anything more formal than what I’m already wearing. Maybe you damn rich people can make twenty outfit changes a day, but a _commoner_ like me doesn’t have enough clothes to swing that!”

        The twins didn’t expect her little outburst and weren’t sure how to react. The three of them exchanged shocked glances before the twins decided that slowly backing out of the room was a good decision.

        “Who does she think she is?” Hikaru complained to his brother as they wandered the halls.

        “I know, it was totally disrespectful,” Kaoru agreed. His look of annoyance slowly turned thoughtful. “You know who she reminded me of just then?”

        _“…Damn rich people…”_

        The twins grinned. “Haruhi.”

 


End file.
